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5 Reasons to Thank Your Boss

Ah, bosses. When we aren’t complaining about not having one, we’re spending our non-working (and often some of our working) hours complaining about how much we hate them. Take a moment out of your moaning to read this article and see that there are, in fact, at least five reasons why you should appreciate them more than you do - starting with the fact that they’re your boss- even if they’re an idiot, and having a boss means having a job. There are some benefits to have an idiot boss, as this can make you feel smarter. (Don’t thank them for that, though.)

Not only are there reasons why you should be thankful to them, but spare a thought for the boss themselves. Believe it or not, they don’t do the things they do simply to ruin your life; they’re busy worrying about trying to keep their business going, keep their own work looking good and in the process help make you look good. Everyone likes to be appreciated, and showing gratitude is the quickest way to ensure someone will help you more in the future.

1. They're Your Boss

Unless you’re one of the fortunate few, finding a job took you a while. After all that searching, and all those rejections, someone finally agreed to take you on and become your boss... and yet, you’re still complaining about them? The same way it’s good to send a thank you email after an interview, showing gratitude within your first week or so will also show an appreciation that might just make your boss feel that they made the right decision - and help to keep you on their radar so you don’t become just another face.

They’re giving you a chance that no one else is, and even if it doesn’t work out with them in the long term, making yourself the kind of employee they feel inclined to introduce to others in the industry can only help you. Consider this: where would you be without them? You’re getting the chance to work, gain experience and do some invaluable networking, and if that requires doing a few menial tasks or living without a coffee machine for a few days, then so be it.

2. For Being the Boss so You Don't Have to Be

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Maybe not a reason to actually go to their office and rub it in, but they’re doing you a favour by being the boss. Despite what you might think, they aren’t sitting in their office plotting how to make your life miserable, they’re sitting in their office figuring out how to make sure the company keeps going and you keep getting that paycheck you rely on, and it probably requires more work than you think it does.

The next time you’re sulking about losing a vacation day, consider that it’s much harder for the boss to take a holiday, and when they do they’re stressing about a lot more than the one project you might have left unfinished: they have to worry about employees, clients, the company’s image and so much more. When it comes to those coworkers you can’t stand, you might be able to avoid or ignore them, but your boss has to deal with them - compliment them, even! Be grateful you only have to deal with one boss rather than the whole office.

Of course, you may be aspiring to become the boss some day, in which case you should appreciate this opportunity to see one in action and gain a few tips on how it’s done.

3. For Helping You Improve Yourself

Whether or not you really do make use of it, if your boss is the type who keeps their door open and encourages communication and a good relationship then you should consider yourself luckier than the many others who don’t; lack of communication is the biggest complaint most employees have. The next time they take the time to give you guidance on a project, remember to be grateful - not all bosses take the time and it’s doing you a big favour in the long run when you don’t have to do it all again.

If they give lots of feedback - even if it’s sometimes negative - it’s another way they’re helping you and something you should look forward to rather than dread; surely you would prefer to be told if you’re doing something wrong so you can remedy it? As well as feedback, they may have let you accompany them to a meeting where you learned a few tricks, or sent you to a seminar; all helpful things you should be thankful for and not see as a waste of time or extra work you don’t want to be doing.

4. For Giving You Freedom

You might have to go to work every day rather than have the freedom to sit around in your pyjamas all day (ugh), but a good boss will give you the freedom to try things. Whether it’s a new idea on how something could be done, or simply the freedom to try something new outside of your current responsibilities with the security of knowing you won’t lose your job over it, it is worth it.

If you fail, at least you tried. If you succeed, then that’s something for your resume and it could move you forward in your career in your current company, all thanks to the boss that you see as a monster who makes you get up early. Doesn’t it sound like something you should be thankful for?

5. Be Thankful for Bad Bosses, too

Of course, saying "thank you" to a bad boss will likely come out sounding sarcastic, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t genuinely be grateful to them. They’ve given you obstacles to overcome that no one else would have, and you’ve come out the other side of it stronger - as a person and an employee - as a result, especially if they helped in the development of your backbone when you finally snapped and put them in their place.

In addition, they’ve helped you to understand everything you don’t want in a boss, what you shouldn’t do if you’re ever a boss yourself and the warning signs to look out for when you finally quit and you’re looking for something - someone - new. Start seeing everything they throw at you as a test rather than a punishment, and your quality of work can only benefit. You might even surprise them so much they stop being so hard on you and stop being a bad boss... if you’re really lucky.

You see? Bosses aren’t so bad! From agreeing to be your boss to moulding you into a better worker - by being a good boss or a bad one - bosses are actually highly underappreciated for all the favours they do for you. No one’s saying you need to stop by their office to thank them every five minutes, or even go as far as actually thanking them for all of the things above, but the next time you open your mouth to complain, consider whether what you’re about to say really is all that fair. Every career begins with a foot in the door, and your boss has given you that opportunity: be appropriately thankful for it.

Do you appreciate your boss? Are you a boss who feels appreciated? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.